The current job landscape in Canada has one consistent variable if you are searching for a higher paying job than minimum wage and it is the need for a post-secondary education of some kind. In order to engage in a post-secondary education you require funding which depending on your program of choice can cost a prospective student upwards of $50,000. The post-secondary system is disadvantageous to those individuals who lack the necessary funds to fulfill their journey and puts them into crippling student loan debt before even beginning. This puts students in a difficult situation; either take the debt with the hopes that your degree will pay off in the long run, or take a low paying job without the immediate debt. This poses the question, what if post secondary tuition were fully paid for? Free post-secondary education would be beneficial to students in British Columbia because it gives them the opportunity to follow their passion wholeheartedly without the risk of financial downfall.
Currently, when students are choosing their major or area of interest for post-secondary studies they are guided towards more practical options that have a more lucrative post-grad income. According to Ellen Anderson from CollegeRaptor, going down this path may warrant you with a higher salary, however it may lead you astray from your actual passions and areas of interest. If shelling out thousands of dollars for your education was not an issue, students would have the freedom to choose an area of study that particularly interests them and they will actually enjoy. This would lead to students being more devoted to their studies and increase the chances of them finishing their degrees. The opportunity for students to study what they desire without any consequences would increase the number of people who choose to attend college and therefore creates a more educated workforce and a populus with better critical thinking skills. With free post-secondary education the younger generation wouldn’t be crushed by student debt and would be able to contribute to the economy in a variety of ways such as buying houses, cars, and travelling.
Having tuition free post-secondary education in British Columbia would allow students to choose their area of study freely without the concern of repaying student loans in the future. This would entice more individuals to engage in a post-secondary path which would be beneficial for themselves and the populus overall. The provincial government should attempt to create an open dialogue for discussion regarding tuition fees to see where citizens stand on this topic and take action if need be.
I really agree with you when you talk about students having to take a more practical degree because of money. I relate to that on a personal level. If money were not an issue, I would be doing a fully based photography 2-year degree at another post secondary education institute (which is $33,904 in total, I could buy a car with that) but because money is an issue, I had to take a 1-year certificate with something that has very little photography because firstly its cheaper ($11,250 not including books) and secondly it would give me different opportunity when I get out into the work force because it has other skill-sets besides photography like writing, communication, graphic design, and video production although a 2-year degree would result in potentially more access to higher paying jobs.
ReplyDeleteI particularly enjoy this piece because there's really this emphasis in society where a person's value is measured by their economic productivity (basically how much income can they generate and what kind of goods can they consume.) A free tuition system could encourage more students to join programs suitable to their interests and abilities. Do you think the provincial government could manage a system where students gravitate to and from programs based on self-realization and interest? Do you think there would be a 1 or 2 limit clause that we would be restricted to choose from and commit to? Or do you think it would be limitless and we can apply for tuition at any time?
ReplyDeleteGreat article Justin. Especially pointing out that nowadays every job wants you to have some type of post-secondary education, leaving people with a tough choice of having a job that might not be what I like or wanted to do that pays me a decent wage, versus being thousands of dollars in debt to maybe get a job for my profession to may off my debt. Difficult situations. I also liked how you touch base with why it is important to not have a huge loan, to be able to start a life and enjoy it. Although I want free tuition I do think that not all people would take it seriously. One of the reasons I try so hard in school is because it is my own money going into it, whereas if tuition was free, some people won't appreciate it as much. I'm interested to see how BC handles the eliminating the provincial taxes on students loans, hopefully more provinces with also take party and eventually lead to free tuition.
ReplyDeleteNice article, I especially enjoyed what you had to say on the cost of education affecting the choice of program chosen. I have never liked the idea of working a job simply for moneys sake and reducing tuition would allow people to affordably choose whichever career. Starting one's career while being crushed by student loans should never have to be an option. While I do not believe that free tuition can be instituted soon, I do think cheaper tuition would be possible and then working on free tuition.
ReplyDeleteReally liked the introduction. Flowed very nicely and grabbed my attention. Your point about students being able to pursue what they are truly passionate about when not burdened with having to worry about going into debt versus taking a less desirable job is a really fresh and interesting perspective.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree this would make students much more focused and interested in their studies which would in turn create a generation of better workers who could really put their all into their field of choice. Good article!
Discussion is very important for a topic like tuition. The more we talk about it, the more it can be improved. Lessening the overall cost of tuition can make a huge difference for a lot of people, making it more realistic and achievable to attend post-secondary. Like you said, more people completing their education will lead to a refined workforce.
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